Storm water filter system having a floating skimmer apparatus

Abstract

A storm water filter box has a floatable skimmer apparatus for preventing floatable debris from entering the filter box outlet. The filter box has an inlet and an outlet and an inlet filter located in the filter box housing. A portable skimmer is positioned in the box between the inlet and outlet and will rise and fall with the water level in the filter box to keep the top of the skimmer above the water level and force the storm water passing through the filter box under the floatable skimmer thereby blocking floatable debris from entering the filter box outlet.

1. A storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus for preventing floatable debris from entering the filter box outlet comprising:
 a housing chamber having an inlet thereinto and an outlet therefrom; 
 an inlet filter located in said housing chamber adjacent said inlet for filtering out solids in entering storm water; and 
 a floatable skimmer positioned in said housing chamber between the inlet and outlet of said housing chamber, said skimmer being movably mounted in a skimmer track and having floatation thereon mounted to raise and lower said skimmer with the rise and fall of storm water in said filter box to thereby block floatable debris from passing through said filter box, said floating skimmer having top and bottom edges, said bottom edge defining a variable channel opening thereunder for the passage of water thereunder; 
 whereby storm water is forced under said floatable skimmer while blocking floatable debris from entering said filter box outlet. 
 
     
     
       2. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  in which said inlet filter is a filter basket. 
     
     
       3. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 2  in which said filter basket has an inlet facing said housing chamber inlet. 
     
     
       4. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 3  in which said housing chamber has a plurality of baffles mounted therein. 
     
     
       5. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 2  in which said floating skimmer floatation material includes a strip of floatation material mounted adjacent the top edge thereof for floating said skimmer in water in said filter box to hold the top edge of said floating skimmer above the water level when said water in said housing chamber rises above a predetermined level. 
     
     
       6. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 5  in which said floating skimmer floatation material includes a plurality of strips of floatation material mounted thereto. 
     
     
       7. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 5  in which said floating skimmer strip of floatation material is a strip of polystyrene. 
     
     
       8. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  in which said floatable skimmer track includes a pair of tracks mounted in said housing chamber, each said track having an elongated groove therein. 
     
     
       9. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 8  in which each said floating skimmer has a pair of side edges, one said side edge sliding in each of said pair of tracks groove. 
     
     
       10. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 9  in which each said track groove has a self lubricating polymer surface. 
     
     
       11. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 9  in which said floating skimmer has a skimmer seal attached thereto and extending over each side edge thereof to ride against each track to seal the space between said floating skimmer and said pair of tracks. 
     
     
       12. The storm water filter box having a floatable skimmer apparatus in accordance with  claim 11  in which each said floating skimmer seal is made of a self-lubricating polymer.